Replacing the ageing gas man in High Street and Temple Street is taking longer than originally planned because of additional work required by B&NES Council in relation to the regeneration project.
Businesses and residents were advised late last year that replacement of the 80 year pipes would start in January and work its way along to Temple Street over a 12 week period. It has emerged that an application was made subsequently for the main located at the junction of Bath Hill and Temple Street to be re-sited. This is because a traffic island is likely to be built directly above the main as part of the, as yet unpublished plans for the road scheme around the new civic centre development.
The relocation work has resulted in 3-way temporary traffic controls and long traffic tailbacks around the town over the last two weeks. These are likely to remain in place until Thursday or Friday (28th or 29th March) but the disruption will then only move a short distance. From Monday 31st March, 3-way lights will be installed at the junction of Temple Street and Rock Road until Friday 4th April.
The final stage of the project will see mains replacement further along Temple Street which will involve two way traffic controls. If there is an upside to the disruption, it is that Wales & West Utilities has been in liaison with Wessex Water so that water main repairs scheduled for later in the year, have been brought forward to take full advantage of the excavations. It is anticipated that all work will be concluded by the end of April.
